As the months grow darker, books and friendships will light the way

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Our latest silent book club meeting report is introduced by one of our founding members, Kathy McCormick. Not only does she have great bookish thoughts to share, but she’s right in keeping with seasonal themes!

Silent book club member Kathy M

“I guess there are never enough books”
– John Steinbeck

I have been a lifelong introvert who also happens to be shy and suffers from fairly acute social anxiety. Not a great combination for living a large life out in the big wide world. Books have been a comfort to me since early childhood as I learned to navigate life in a world that expected much more from me socially than I would ever be able to give.

I freely admit to riding the social coattails of my much more outgoing and gregarious spouse for the past three decades. When she first came home and mentioned that one of our neighbours (the lovely @bookgaga) had invited us to join a local chapter of the Silent Book Club I have to admit my first thought was “no, of course not”. But once I found out that the meetings would be held at a local establishment and we could read whatever we wanted, well, I was finally willing to take the plunge. And readers, it has become a highly valued thing to me, with many new friendships resulting. I have been inspired to try books I would never have considered before and have appreciated insights and perspectives of the group. They are kind and considerate of every type of written word.

At this time of year, as the days grow shorter and we approach the winter months, my reading always turns toward the spooky, creepy and macabre. I love the Hallowe’en season. I have always been intrigued by the concept of things that exist outside of material reality. I have never understood the peculiarly western obsession with a materialistic worldview which dismissed anything that could not be measured, tested, documented and experimented on. I feel deeply my ancestral roots from island nations steeped in the lore of faeries and banshees, pagans and witches. Give me a good ghost story and I am happy any time of day (though will confess to having slept with the lights on more than once in my life). I am not too fussy about genre but there must be an otherworldly aspect to the stories. No slasher flicks or serial killers: human monsters do not interest me. Give me vampires, zombies, unknown creatures, chain rattling ghosts or books sent flying from shelves by unseen hands. The shadow seen out of the corner of your eye; that strange light in the sky; those footsteps heard overhead when you are home alone … yikes, I’m getting scared now, let me turn on all the lights …

Wait, did you hear that? … WHAT IS THAT!

May your reading and friendships light your way through the coming dark months …

Squizzey joins the zoom meeting

Squizzey presents Kath's books

Vicki's books

Don’t be afraid to dive into our latest combined reading list! The titles featured in each of our reports combine print and digital versions of books, along with audiobooks (which are indicated separately, with narrator/performer information where possible).

More book-related articles, resources, news, recommendations and more are often inspired or offered by our members and/or come up during our discussions and chat, including:

Our previous silent book club meeting reports (online and in-person incarnations) and book lists are always available for your enjoyment and edification – find them all here. New discoveries, old favourites and more – we guarantee there’s something amongst our reports that will keep your reading appetite fueled.

You can also check out links to articles, interviews and more here – some with San Francisco-based Silent Book Club founders Guinevere de La Mare and Laura Gluhanich, and some with us here in east end Toronto.

Learn more about silent book clubs via Guinevere and Laura’s Silent Book Club web site. You can find information on meetings happening around the world and close to where you live. Some clubs are currently on hiatus, but many are running virtual meetings in different formats, and some are re-emerging carefully with in-person gatherings. Please feel free to contact me for more information about our club and its offerings.

Stay safe and stay well, and let treasured books continue to light your way!

The distanced intimacy that reading offers

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While pondering and prepping for our latest upcoming silent book club zoom meeting (a mid-week, evening “pop-up”), I came across the following most wonderful quotation, tweeted by Jen Benka (@jenbenka), President and Executive Director of the Academy of American Poets:

“‘Distanced intimacy’ strikes me as a really good phrase for what reading always offers, that books are also technologies for being together alone or alone together … Unknown sources of distanced intimacy — they are out there, just beyond the frame.”

— Ben Lerner

Oh, didn’t that quotation find me at just the perfect moment? I responded on Twitter that the “distanced intimacy” of reading takes many forms. We can feel connection with a book reviewer’s thoughts, or those of avid readers here (meaning Twitter, but on social media and online in general) sharing their enthusiasm for a particular book … or just that feeling of reading and knowing others are experiencing the same words.

In particular, the concept works brilliantly for silent book club groups. There was a form of distanced intimacy even when we met in person, once upon a time. That fellowship of readers and its potent online distanced intimacy have been particularly vital forms of solace and connection throughout the pandemic, and will remain so in future, I absolutely know.

And so it was once again, when we gathered zoomily (but not gloomily) for another exchange of great book recommendations, discussion and comisseration.

Silent book club member Sue R and one of her reading choices

Silent book club member Vicki, on screen, with her latest reading choices

Our latest combined reading list is not only a rich autumn cornupcopia, but also a treasure trove of ideas to store away for the winter. The titles featured in each of our reports combine print and digital versions of books, along with audiobooks (which are indicated separately, with narrator/performer information where possible).

More book-related articles, resources, news, recommendations and more are often inspired or offered by our members and/or come up during our discussions and chat, including:

  • On the Proper Use of Stars by Dominique Fortier, translated by Sheila Fischman is one of many historical and imagined retellings of the Franklin Expedition. Our discussion about this book led us to Margaret Atwood’s series of lectures in the mid-1990s on the influence of the mysteries of the Canadian North in many works: Strange Things: The Malevolent North in Canadian Literature.
  • Some of our members have been fascinated by A Ghost in the Throat, an intriguing melding of poetry, translation, memoir, history and more by the Irish poet Doireann Ní Ghríofa. The Poetry Extension recently interviewed her.

Boost your reading with much bookish manna from heaven, courtesy of our previous silent book club meeting reports (online and in-person incarnations) and book lists – find them all here. We just know you’ll find something new or unusual, or maybe something old and familiar, that will keep your reading mojo working.

You can also check out links to articles, interviews and more here – some with San Francisco-based Silent Book Club founders Guinevere de La Mare and Laura Gluhanich, and some with us here in east end Toronto.

Learn more about silent book clubs via Guinevere and Laura’s Silent Book Club web site. You can find information on meetings happening around the world and close to where you live. Some clubs are currently on hiatus, but many are running virtual meetings in different formats. Please feel free to contact me for more information about our club and its offerings.

Stay safe and stay well, in this world and the worlds that books open to us.

The joys of reading … even when you’re not reading

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Our latest silent book club meeting report is introduced by reading powerhouse and double duty silent book club member Sue Wright. Sue comes from a long matrilineal line of bookworms and has also spawned one. She was a proud secondary school teacher of English, history, and special education with the TDSB, but for the past year has inexplicably been studying for an MSc. in geneaology.  Along the way she discovered that she is descended from Irish Travellers, chimney sweeps, fishmongers and at least one bigamist. When she’s not reading or discovering fascinating facts about her ancestors, she’s probably swimming or trying to persuade her dog, Ruby, to have a cuddle.

Silent book club member Sue Wright, reading Miriam Toews' Fight Night, in the company of her dog RubyBeing a bit of a loner, I’ve never been one for clubs. I don’t play sports, so I’ve not had to be bothered by racquets, golf or even lawn bowling clubs, but when my children were very small, I discovered the joy of sharing my hard to come by reading in a book club that lasted more than twenty-five years – longer than a lot of marriages. It was for hard-core readers – no wine or nibblies and rotating between members’ houses for us – over the years, observing our code of meeting in neutral spots, we met in some odd spaces including a whole year in a pre-school where we sat on nursery chairs. I knew very little about members’ lives beyond their opinion on books and authors; we came together because we loved sharing our opinions about what we read. When that book club ended, I resigned myself to a book club-less life (a book club widow?) because I am not attracted to nor would fit in to the average book club (although I am not eager to repeat the nursery chair experience).

Just before I gave up on any opportunity to spend time with other bookworms, Beth (Midtown and East End Toronto) started the Midtown SBC and oh what a joy that has been! I look forward to all our meetings (I also attend East End as often as I can) and have learned so much about books and readers in these kind, supportive meetings. I’ve been introduced to many new writers; my love of poetry has been rekindled by Vicki’s enthusiasm and support; my new bookworm friends with whom I found I share other interests have enriched my life beyond the page. An added bonus is that several of the old book club members have also migrated to SBC, including one of my erstwhile small children. Is there any better friendship than a bookworm friendship?

When I tell my racquets-and-hockey-type-clubs husband that it is Silent Book Club evening, he likes to perform a little skit in which he mimes opening a book, and points to its imaginary pages whilst simultaneously enthusiastically mouthing comments about the contents. It was quite funny the first time.

Over the past 18 months our lives have had to be lived in very different ways, and there has been much loss. I am very grateful that our warm, shared love of books and my SBC pals have not been a casualty, and I look forward to when we can read together again.

Vicki on zoom with her stack of books next to the computer

Silent book club group reading in the park

Jo reading in the park

Sue reading in the park

Catherine reading in the park

Vicki reading in the park

Our meetings today – on zoom and in the park – were not just celebrations of books and reading, but also of a community that supports its readers when individuals find their reading interest and tempo flagging. We’ve discussed previously how the pandemic has affected our reading (with suggested cures) … and sometimes the best remedy is just being with other readers, even when you’re not reading.

Our latest combined reading list is an early fall harvest of delights and sustenance. The titles featured in each of our reports combine print and digital versions of books, along with audiobooks (which are indicated separately, with narrator/performer information where possible).

More book-related articles, resources, news, recommendations and more were offered by our members and/or came up during this meeting’s discussions and chat, including:

Boost your reading or gently reinvigorate your reading mojo with fodder from our previous silent book club meeting reports (online and in-person incarnations) and book lists – find them all here. We guarantee you’ll find something new or unusual, or maybe something old and familiar, that will spark your enthusiasm!

You can also check out links to articles, interviews and more here – some with San Francisco-based Silent Book Club founders Guinevere de La Mare and Laura Gluhanich, and some with us here in east end Toronto.

Learn more about silent book clubs via Guinevere and Laura’s Silent Book Club web site. You can find information on meetings happening around the world and close to where you live. Some clubs are currently on hiatus, but many are running virtual meetings in different formats. Please feel free to contact me for more information about our club and its offerings.

Stay safe and stay well, in this world and the worlds that books open to us.

Continuing to round up lots of young adult (YA) reading recommendation goodness

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Once again, were grateful for and delighted with Toronto silent book club member Sundus Butt’s ongoing collections of young adult (YA) titles and thoughtful, discerning recommendations. Enjoy all the monthly YA installments here.

September 2021 YA selections from our silent book club, including Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis and Baba Yaga’s Assistant written by Marika McCoola and illustrated by Emily Carroll

Other Words for Home by Jasmine WargaOther Words for Home by Jasmine Warga (9–12)

There is an Arabic proverb that says:
She makes you feel
like a loaf of freshly baked bread.

It is said about
the nicest
kindest people.
The type of people
who help you
rise.

Jude and her pregnant mother have left their home in Syria to escape the escalating violence. When she arrives in America, everything is different and Jude aches with all the things she misses from home, including her father and elder brother who stayed behind. But as she begins to make friends and gets the chance to try out for a school play, Jude realizes she can belong in America, too.

Beautifully written in verse, this is a story about being an immigrant and loving your first home, but navigating and embracing your new one. The story also explores Islamophobia, as Jude encounters it for the first time, especially as she starts wearing a hijab. And whilst the story touches on painful experiences, there’s an abundance of hope and joy, and those are the overriding feelings you’re left with.

On the Come Up by Angie ThomasOn the Come Up by Angie Thomas (14+)

Gift. One word, one syllable. I don’t know if it rhymes with anything because it’s a word I never thought could be used when it comes to me.

Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be a rapper more than anything. She’s talented and loves making up rhymes, but hitting it big would mean she could raise her family out of poverty. Her mom and brother work tirelessly, but their family only manages to scrape by, and Bri knows if she can land a big contract, she can change everything.

Any book by Angie Thomas is worth a read. She has the wonderful ability to transport you so you’re in a certain place with certain people from page one. Bri is so convincing as a young, complex woman trying to deal with the issues of simply growing up, but also having to deal with racial injustice, the misogyny of the hip-hop world, and the possibility of homelessness. The great thing about Thomas’s books are how they reflect harsh realities, but also shine a light on the beautiful friendships and love between family. This is an entertaining and edifying coming-of-age story.

Ms. Marvel written by G. Willow Wilson and illustrated by Adrian AlphonaMs. Marvel written by G. Willow Wilson and illustrated by Adrian Alphona (9+)

Who am I? It seems like an easy question. And then I realize … maybe what I said to those cops wasn’t a joke. Maybe the name belongs to whoever has the courage to fight.
And so I tell them.
I tell them who I am.
“You can call me Ms. Marvel.”

Sixteen-year-old Kamala Khan has a lot on her plate. As a Pakistani-American Muslim, she doesn’t quite fit in, and while she loves her family, she’s tired of their strict rules. So she sneaks out one night, and bumps into some of her favourite Avengers and makes a wish to be like Captain Marvel. Kamala’s alarmed when her wish comes true and now she has even bigger problems than curfews and exams—like saving the world (or New Jersey at least).

This is a really fun, well-illustrated series. It balances the focus between Kamala being an ordinary teen, including the religious and cultural issues she faces, and finding her way as superhero. The humour and storytelling makes this a great addition to the Marvel canon.

The Science of Breakable Things by Tae KellerThe Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller (10+)

I felt trapped between the dark of mom’s room and the fake light of dad’s office.

This story follows 12-year-old Natalie as she tries to “fix” her mom who is suffering from depression. Natalie experiences an emotional rollercoaster of anger, guilt, and fear as she tries to understand why her mom has “stopped being mom.” Her dad is trying his best, but doesn’t really know what to do, despite being a therapist, which leaves Natalie feeling abandoned and frustrated by both parents. After her science teacher suggests she enters a competition, Natalie thinks she’s landed on a way to make things better.

Natalie is very well constructed. Her reactions to her mom’s depression feel real and explore how hard it is for a child to see their parent dealing with mental illness. The heaviness of what’s happening to Natalie’s family is offset by her enjoyable friendship with Twig, which adds light and colour. And the framing of the story in terms of a science experiment ties everything together and presents a difficult, but important, story in an engaging way.

Baba Yaga’s Assistant written by Marika McCoola and illustrated by Emily Carroll (9+)

“If you’re going to finish by sunset, you better get started […].”
“Sunset?”
“It’s the standard arrangement.”
“Yeah? What about midnight?”
“I’m not your fairy godmother, dear.”

When Masha’s dad announces he’s proposed to his girlfriend, she runs into the haunted wood to answer Baba Yaga’s advertisement for an assistant. Armed with her grandmother’s teachings and a sense of adventure, Masha must complete three tasks to prove her worth and avoid Baba Yaga’s wrath.

This is a wonderful graphic novel with some creepy elements and wry humour. Combined with great illustrations that fit the tone of the story perfectly, this is a fun read that touches on folklore and family.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (11+)

Not hope that he would be rescued—that was gone. But hope in his knowledge. Hope in the fact that he could learn and survive and take care of himself. Tough hope, he thought that night. I am full of tough hope.

Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his dad when the pilot of the prop plane he’s on has a heart attack, forcing Brian to crash-land the plane into the remote Canadian wilderness. With just a few items, including a hatchet his mother had gifted him, Brian must figure out how to survive.

The thing I most enjoy about this book is the shift in Brian’s perspective. His initial worries about his parents’ divorce and even the early days of when he is stranded very much reflect a young person’s worries. But over time, his attitude and thinking sharpen, and his encounters with all the perils and joys of nature are not just about survival, but also about transformation.

Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis (10–14)

Everyone I loved, every place on the Island I cared for, every answer I had ever gotten to every question I had ever asked—was a part of one huge and terrible lie.

Margaret has lived on a tiny island with a small group of nuns all her life, and her days are simple but content. One day, the exiled Queen Eleanor arrives, after being banished and supplanted by her half-sister, Catherine. As Margaret gets to know Eleanor, she learns things about the politics of Albion, but also uncovers a secret about herself. Things become even more dangerous when one of Eleanor’s old bodyguards tries to rescue her, and Margaret has to decide where her loyalties lie.

This graphic novel is inspired by Elizabeth I and Mary I, and the Tudor tone is evident in the language and the details of the story. The style of the illustrations also helps to develop the atmosphere and make a connection to the time period. This is a slow burn, coming-of-age graphic novel set in an interesting time and offers an alternative storyline for a very famous piece of history.

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin (10+)

[…] I’d learned one thing above all else: A person can become invisible simply by staying quiet.

Twelve-year-old Suzy is different from other kids. She thinks differently, her interests aren’t “cool,” and she doesn’t get on with a lot of people. When her ex-best friend, Franny, drowns, Suzy shuts down and doesn’t speak for weeks. No adult can provide a concrete explanation for Franny’s death, so Suzy devises her own theory about a jellyfish sting and sets out to prove she’s right.

Benjamin does a great job of conveying Suzy’s isolation and her desperation to make sense of something unfathomable. You feel for her as she evades her grief and becomes obsessed with finding answers that won’t help her. The story is focused on the importance of grieving and the difficulty in losing someone you’ve grown apart from, but it also focuses on the love and friendship that can help you get through.

Feeling the presence of our fellow readers

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Whenever we send out the reminder for our next zoom meeting, our silent book club members respond swiftly and generously. Swiftly, because they’re keen to attend, share and catch up with the group and get some new bookish recommendations and insights (which, admittedly, is perhaps a euphemism for when a member is not able to make a recommendation, but can offer constructive and lively criticism). Generously, because even when members can’t attend on particular dates, they still provide their recent reading lists for inclusion in our blog posts – to share with each other and with the broader circle of readers who enjoy our posts and lists.

As we head into the autumn, we hope we can still augment our virtual book club meetings with some in-person joy. If the weather holds, we might still be able to layer up and head to Stephenson Park for some quality reading time under the trees. We still don’t know what the future holds in terms of indoor in-person meetings, at our not forgotten local, Press or other coffee/book shops. What we do know is that virtual meetings have afforded us the opportunity to enjoy elastic boundaries, where Toronto extends to Edmonton, Jersey City and Pontypridd … and we want fervently to keep up those bookish connections and friendships. We want to keep feeling the presence of our fellow readers.

Sue reading Duck Feet, Fleur supervising

Kath E read the Women's Prize shortlist

Vicki's books

Our latest combined reading list brims, once again, with variety and vibrancy. The titles featured in each of our reports combine print and digital versions of books, along with audiobooks (which are indicated separately, with narrator/performer information where possible).

More book-related articles, resources, news, recommendations and more were offered by our members and/or came up during this meeting’s discussions and chat, including:

Fellow readers everywhere, boost your reading with fodder from our previous silent book club meeting reports (online and in-person incarnations) and book lists – find them all here. Perhaps you’ll come across new and unexpected bookish delights!

You can also check out links to articles, interviews and more here – some with San Francisco-based Silent Book Club founders Guinevere de La Mare and Laura Gluhanich, and some with us here in east end Toronto.

Learn more about silent book clubs via Guinevere and Laura’s Silent Book Club web site. You can find information on meetings happening around the world and close to where you live. Some clubs are currently on hiatus, but many are running virtual meetings in different formats. Please feel free to contact me for more information about our club and its offerings.

Stay safe, stay well, stay inspired, stay engaged with lots of books, glorious books!

Celebrating reading in every form with our silent book club friends

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Our latest silent book club meeting report is introduced by long-time member Kim Maxwell. Kim is a retired bookkeeper/income tax preparer, widowed with 2 children and 2 grandchildren. She is a long time Toronto East Ender and a fervent fan of audiobooks. Her many interests include life enhancement learning, the arts and travel. She inherited her love of reading from her mother who always said “If you have a book to read, then you will never be bored or lonely”.

Silent book club member Kim MaxwellI have always wanted to join a book club but felt inhibited by the required book selection and the fact that I am a slow reader. When I heard about the SBC in East Toronto, I was intrigued. Not only could I read a book of my choice but would have the opportunity to read silently for an hour without guilt. I rarely sat at home alone to read due to many chores that were beckoning. Hence my love for audiobooks. I could “read” while I worked, cooked, cleaned etc. – no time wasted and boredom at bay.

I have been an audiobook fan for many years. It started with being stuck in traffic on my way to work and discovering that listening to audiobooks helped me pass the time without frustration – the only downside was that sometimes I was so engrossed in the story that I missed my exit but that just gave me more time to listen. Audiobooks are becoming more mainstream now with an abundance of titles. Almost any book in print can be downloaded as either an e-book or an audiobook. At one time there was a snobbery with regards to reading versus listening; the former being supposedly superior. It was as if “listening” to a book did not count. Fortunately, that attitude has changed.

To me, the narrator is the most important feature of the book. If the story is dull but the narrator is excellent, then the experience is ok, a decent time waster. If the story is compelling but the narrator speaks in a monotone, then the book is only good for sleep inducing and you will wonder what all the fuss is about. But if the story is interesting and/or exciting with the addition of an outstanding narrator, then the experience is absolutely joyful. Currently, the trend is to use talented, versatile and often well-known performers to narrate these audiobooks. In my opinion, the voice makes all the difference to the audio experience.

My biggest surprise in joining the SBC was not the luxury of reading silently for an hour but rather being exposed to so many different authors and types of reading material. I listen intently to the reading choices of the other members, noting their reviews, both good and bad. I certainly have expanded my reading interests and have been introduced to quite an eclectic list of authors and titles. For me this has been one of the best benefits to my belonging to this book club.

Again this month, our silent book club meetings ranged from zoom gatherings from our homes and cottages to, thankfully, the great outdoors of our favourite local park.

Catherine Xu's poetry exercise

Catherine Xu's poetry exercise

Kathryn Eastman's books, with our favourite bookish squirrel

Lyla's books<img loading=

Vicki's books

Silent book club gathering in Stephenson Park

Silent book club member Sue in Stephenson Park

Silent book club member Beth in Stephenson Park

Silent book club member Jo in Stephenson Park

Silent book club member Vicki in Stephenson Park”

Our always generous reading list is especially extensive this month because it combines discussions from two meetings, a pop-up weeknight evening meeting and our regular Saturday morning meeting. The titles featured in each of our reports combine print and digital versions of books, along with audiobooks (which are indicated separately, with narrator/performer information where possible).

More book-related articles, resources, news, recommendations and more were offered by our members and/or came up during this meeting’s discussions and chat, including:

  • The Sealey Challenge started in 2017, when American poet Nicole Sealey challenged herself and others to read a poetry work a day for every day in the month of August. I took up the challenge again this year and am in the homestretch, after also successfully completing it in 2020. Those taking part note their progress on social media using the hashtag #TheSealeyChallenge. Take a look and, maybe, dip into some poetry yourself.
  • August is also Women in Translation Month (#WITMonth). It was initiated in 2014 by book blogger Meytal Radzinski. She grew up speaking English and Hebrew, and her multilingual family often encouraged her to read literature in translation.
  • Book festivals around the world are looking at hybrid versions of their series, with online programs and carefully mounted, social distancing compliant live events. Some recommended by our members include the Edinburgh International Book Festival and the Brooklyn Book Festival.
  • As A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles is much beloved by many of our book club members, it’s no wonder Towles’ latest, The Lincoln Highway, is highly anticipated.
  • Lighten your heart with selections from the Comedy Women in Print 2021 longlist. This is the UK & Ireland’s first comedy literary prize.
  • Who Said It: Pooh or Proust? Thanks to the New York Public Library for this diverting quiz.

Fellow readers, you are always welcome to boost your reading with fodder from our previous silent book club meeting reports (online and in-person incarnations) and book lists – find them all here. Perhaps you’ll come across new and unexpected bookish delights!

You can also check out links to articles, interviews and more here – some with San Francisco-based Silent Book Club founders Guinevere de La Mare and Laura Gluhanich, and some with us here in east end Toronto.

Learn more about silent book clubs via Guinevere and Laura’s Silent Book Club web site. You can find information on meetings happening around the world and close to where you live. Some clubs are currently on hiatus, but many are running virtual meetings in different formats. Please feel free to contact me for more information about our club and its offerings.

Stay safe, stay well, stay hopeful, stay immersed in wonderful, inspiring and rejuvenating books!

More young adult (YA) reading recommendation goodness – the fifth of a series of review round-ups

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We are grateful for and delighted with Toronto silent book club member Sundus Butt’s ongoing collections of young adult (YA) titles and recommendations. Enjoy all the monthly YA installments here.

July 2021 Young Adult book recommendation

When Stars Are Scattered by Omar Mohamed and Victoria Jamieson, illustrated by Victoria Jamieson and Iman Geddy (9+)

I had been a horrible friend to Jeri. No one would want a friend like me back.
But the good news was, we weren’t friends.
We were brothers.
And the thing about a brother is, you don’t need words to understand each other.

This graphic novel follows Omar and his younger brother, Hassan, as they spend years in a Kenyan refugee camp. The hardships they face from lack of food to lack of medical care for Hassan (who is largely non-verbal) are heartbreaking. And although the story focuses on the interminable despair and waiting refugees face, it is also full of hope and light. What stayed with me most was the remarkable way people are able to create a sense of family and home even in the grimmest of places.

Alexandria of Africa by Eric WaltersAlexandria of Africa by Eric Walters (9–12)

“You and the other Maasai I saw on the road always wear red. Why?” I asked.
“Some people believe it is a warning to the lion. He sees the red and runs away.” Nebala explained. “Others say that the lion is attracted to the red because it looks like the blood of a fresh kill, so he goes for the warrior and leaves the cattle alone.”
[…]
“It can’t be both,” another person objected.
“One thing can be many things,” he said.

Alexandria is a spoiled rich teen who has been caught stealing (again). She and her family decide to take a deal where Alexandria must go to Africa with an international aid group rather than spend four months in juvie.

Walters does a good job of making Alexandria feel convincing. And although it’s difficult to read from the perspective of a character that you’d like to pick up and throw across a room, the impact the Kenyan people and environment have on Alexandria is satisfying. Overall, this is a light read, but it shows how a person’s perspective can shift (even if it’s slightly) when exposed to ideas and cultures outside their own.

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool (11–14)

“[…] the person you encounter is often more than the person you see.”

Abilene Tucker arrives in Manifest feeling abandoned by her father and counting down the days until she’s reunited with him at the end of summer. But Abilene quickly finds there’s a lot more to her father’s old town than she first thought.

This is a charming read full of the simple joys of childhood exploration and discovery. The olden setting and variety of characters feel real almost instantly. Combined with Vanderpool’s warm writing, this is an enjoyable coming-of-age story.

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly HuntFish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt (10–13)

My grandpa used to say to be careful with eggs and words, because neither can ever be fixed. The older I get, the more I realize how smart my grandpa was.

This story follows Ally as she struggles through school without anyone (including herself) understanding why. A new teacher is able to discover that Ally has dyslexia. With hard work and belief, Ally discovers she’s capable of more than she imagined.

Hunt does a great job of conveying Ally’s isolation and shame in being unable to read properly and ask for help. You really feel for Ally right from the start with her behavioural issues and a slew of misunderstandings that arise from her dyslexia. But as she begins to understand why she’s had so much trouble, Ally slowly gains confidence and hope, and realizes that people are built differently and learn differently, too. This story celebrates those differences between us, and also those amazing teachers that go deeper and genuinely change a child’s life.

The Giver by Lois LowryThe Giver by Lois Lowry (13+)

Of course they needed to care. It was the meaning of everything.

Set in a colourless (figuratively and literally) world of conformity, this story focuses on 12-year-old Jonas as he’s assigned to The Giver to receive memories of the past. As Jonas begins to receive these memories, he discovers experiences and ideas that cast his world in a new light.

Lowry packs a lot of social commentary into this short novel, not just by what she chose to include, but also by what she omitted. The atmosphere in the story is well crafted. The sterility of Jonas’s environment and in the people he speaks to feels tangible and it clearly communicates a world that has lost all sense of what it means to live a life and live it fully.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth AcevedoClap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (15+)

You do not call bad spirits into the room, & you do not smudge a person’s dignity by pretending they are not still alive & right in front of you, & perhaps about to receive a miracle.
You do not let your words stunt unknown possibilities.

Written in verse, this novel follows two 16-year-old girls, Camino (in the Dominican Republic) and Yahaira (in New York City), who never knew about each other, but are now connected by the tragedy of their father’s death.

Acevedo beautifully and commandingly crafts a story that covers so many different ideas including the imperfections of family, culture, identity, grief, poverty, as well as the dangers of being a young woman. This is a raw and emotional story delivered in a unique, lyrical way.

The Thief by Meghan Whalen Turner (13+)

Discretion prevented me from saying that I thought she was a fiend from the underworld and that mountain lions couldn’t force me to enter her service.

Gen, a boastful (but apparently unsuccessful) thief is plucked from a prison by the king’s scholar, the magus, to attain an ancient lost treasure. The story largely centres on their journey, revealing the history and political intrigues of the different regions along the way.

The writing in The Thief is excellent. There isn’t a lot of action, but Whalen’s descriptions and mini-myths are so enjoyable to read. On the character front, the wit and banter provided by Gen is terrific—he’s a lot of fun to follow (and I imagine he was a lot of fun to write, too). The Thief is a wonderful, old-world fantasy and kicks-off a great series.

Silent book club journeys

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Lyla and friendsOur latest silent book club meeting report is introduced by long-time member Lyla MacAulay, parent and teacher in Toronto, avid and eclectic reader, and fosterer of many kittens.

This week during Silent Book Club, I thought about journeys and how far we have come.

When I was invited to join Silent Book Club, it seemed no small thing to haul myself from west to east Toronto. To read. Silently. Which I could do in my own cozy space. But I did it, and was richly rewarded by meeting wonderful readers and the amazing variety and depth of the books they introduced me to.

Fast forward to pandemic times. Vicki and Jo were heroic in welcoming us to Zoom, and while our physical spaces got more and more restricted, our book space grew and grew! Paradoxically, shrinking to a screen opened SBC to readers from southwestern Ontario to Wales. And we shared worlds in other ways; we had glimpses of shelves and kitchens, gardens and mugs, partners and pets, tantalizing views of each others’ lives that we would not have seen with our meet-ups at Press Vinyl (still on our radar!), or in the park.

Lyla friend!It seems to me that in expanding our places and our members, we have expanded our hearts and imaginations. Our group is so supportive of the struggles we’ve had, and grateful for the time we have together, and I don’t think that would have happened as easily and inclusively if SBC was bounded by physical presence.

At SBC we all have a reading journey, and they aren’t linear! From meeting to meeting we wander through subjects and genres, we are fluid in our choices, and we are nudged into other paths by each other. Who knows where we are going? Inspired by The Sealey Challenge (a book of poetry a day in August), I started The Complete Poems of Cavafy. In “Ithaca”, Cavafy reminds us of the value in the journey itself.

When you start on your journey to Ithaca,
Then pray that the road is long,
Full of adventure, full of knowledge

This week’s journey, as Lyla has captured so beautifully, took us from our respective homes and cottages to zoom to sunny Stephenson Park.

Silent book club zoom meeting

Beth's reading spot

Jenn's books and knitting

Lyla's books

Sue R and one of her books

Sven and Jenn's books

Irina in the park

4 sbc readers in the park

Lyla in the park

Jo in the park

Ruth in the park

Sue R in the park

3 sbc readers in the park

Vicki in the park

Once again, this meeting has culminated in a positively overflowing reading list that will take you in many directions, on many wide-ranging journeys. The titles featured in each of our reports combine print and digital versions of books, along with audiobooks (which are indicated separately, with narrator/performer information where possible).

More book-related articles, resources, news, recommendations and more were offered by our members and/or came up during this meeting’s discussions and chat, including:

  • The Sealey Challenge started in 2017, when American poet Nicole Sealey challenged herself and others to read a poetry work a day for every day in the month of August. All who take part (I’m taking up the challenge again this year, after successfully completing it in 2020) note their progress on social media using the hashtag #TheSealeyChallenge. Follow along … and, maybe, dip into some poetry yourself this upcoming month.
  • Books admired and beloved by this silent book club group have surfaced on the Booker Prize longlist – take a look!
  • The Kitchener Public Library was an important and formative part of one silent book club member’s early years as a reader … and is an important resource today for another member we were fortunate to have join us online since the start of the pandemic.
  • East end Toronto booklovers rejoice! The Scribe is a new bookstore addition (antiquarian) to the Danforth, near Chester.

Our fellow readers – don’t forget, you’re all part of a vast underground network for goodness at work in the world – are invited to boost their reading with fodder from our previous silent book club meeting reports (online and in-person incarnations) and book lists – find them all here. Perhaps you’ll come across the unexpected!

You can also check out links to articles, interviews and more here – some with San Francisco-based Silent Book Club founders Guinevere de La Mare and Laura Gluhanich, and some with us here in east end Toronto.

Learn more about silent book clubs via Guinevere and Laura’s Silent Book Club web site. You can find information on meetings happening around the world and close to where you live. Some clubs are currently on haitus, but many are running virtual meetings in different formats. Please feel free to contact me for more information about our club and its offerings.

Stay safe, stay well, stay hopeful, stay utterly engrossed in great and rejuvenating books!

Silent book club … part of a vast underground network for goodness at work in the world

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Sometimes, our silent book club meetings are “pop-ups” – scheduled with somewhat short notice, often on a weekday evening, to mix up it a bit with our more regularly scheduled Saturday morning gatherings. Regardless of when they happen, we always have a good turn-out and a warm exchange of our latest reading enthusiasms and, er, less-than-enthusiasms, knowing we have a crowd with which we can both celebrate and comisserate.

Sometimes, the revelations pop up at us, too. After a lively and varied go-round of book recommendations and reviews, the meeting evolved wonderfully into an open discussion about the joys of rereading and how – with perhaps some concerns about rereading changing our relationship with books beloved at an earlier age – many agreed that rereading offered a path back to our books from the heartbreak and distractions of the past year and a half. And from there, we shared our gratitude for this group and its comforts and support. And from there, one of our members closed the meeting on the perfect note with this quotation from one of the books discussed earlier in the meeting:

“Over the last ten years I’ve had a chance to give readings and talks all over the world and meet thousands of dedicated readers. Their passion for literature has convinced me that there’s a vast underground network for goodness at work in the world – a web of people who’ve put reading at the center of their lives because they know from experience that reading makes them more expansive, generous people and makes their lives more interesting.”

– George Saunders, from A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life (2021 Random House)

Dawn's books

Vicki's books

Every meeting, the books we share comprise an overflowing cornucopia of subjects, formats, genres, styles, voices, perspectives and so much more. The titles featured in each of our reports combine print and digital versions of books, along with audiobooks (which are indicated separately, with narrator/performer information where possible).

More book-related articles, resources, news, recommendations and more were offered by our members and/or came up during this meeting’s discussions and chat, including:

  • Thanks to a fortuitous connection between members of our silent book club group, YA author Faith Erin Hicks ended up with a freshly redesigned web site: www.faitherinhicks.com. Just so happens Hicks’ titles have also come up in our YA book recommendations!
  • Audiobooks or Reading? To Our Brains, It Doesn’t Matter … so observes Discover magazine. Our silent book club group feels the same way!
  • Further to that very fine George Saunders quotation, enjoy a conversation between him and fellow author Anne Lamott from earlier this year:

    •  

    George Saunders in conversation with Anne Lamott (January, 2021)

Our fellow readers – all part of that vast underground network for goodness at work in the world – are invited to boost their reading with fodder from our previous silent book club meeting reports (online and in-person incarnations) and book lists – find them all here. Perhaps you’ll come across the unexpected!

You can also check out links to articles, interviews and more here – some with San Francisco-based Silent Book Club founders Guinevere de La Mare and Laura Gluhanich, and some with us here in east end Toronto.

Learn more about silent book clubs via Guinevere and Laura’s Silent Book Club web site. You can find information on meetings happening around the world and close to where you live. Some clubs are currently on haitus, but many are running virtual meetings in different formats. Please feel free to contact me for more information about our club and its offerings.

Stay safe, stay well, stay hopeful, stay utterly engrossed in good books!

The latest installment of our young adult (YA) reading recommendations – the fourth of a series of review round-ups

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Toronto silent book club member Sundus Butt returns with another delicious harvest of young adult (YA) titles and recommendations. Enjoy all the monthly YA installments here.

June 2021 YA book selections by Faith Erin Hicks and Laura Lee Gulledge

Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks (11–16)

It’s easy to lose your soul in high school.

I love everything about this graphic novel. It follows Maggie as she starts high school after being homeschooled with her three brothers all her life. The characters are terrific, the humour is delightful, and the artwork is wonderful (as is always the case with Hicks). I could relate wholeheartedly to Maggie from her nervousness about being around so many people to her love for Alien and Ripley. This is a coming-of-age story focused on family and friends, oh, and being haunted by a ghost.

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate (9–12)

Imaginary friends are like books. We’re created, we’re enjoyed, we’re dog-eared and creased, and then we’re tucked away until we’re needed again.

Jackson’s family has little money for food and rent, and Jackson bears the struggles of a difficult life like an old soul. But when things get even worse and it looks like Jackson and his family may have to live in their minivan again, Jackson’s old imaginary friend, Crenshaw, appears.

This is a lovely story focused on family, friendship, and homelessness. Jackson is a great character; his small kindnesses to his sister and his bravery in trying to be strong for his parents make him endearing and also make his trials that much more painful. His interactions with Crenshaw (an enjoyable character, too) are simple, but reveal so much about what Jackson’s trying to keep buried. The story touches on how important it is to share your burdens and heartache with the people you love.

While I Was Away by Waka T. Brown

While I Was Away by Waka T. Brown

While I Was Away by Waka T. Brown (8–12)

Three people who weren’t here with us, but actually were. Their stories, their relationships, their lives all tied together and echoing across time.

This memoir follows twelve-year-old Waka as she’s sent to Tokyo (from America) for several months by herself to improve her Japanese. Waka stays with her forbidding grandmother and she has to navigate an unfamiliar language, culture, and customs.

This is a sensitive and gentle story about the different experiences the author had in Japan. It clearly left a huge mark on her life and she explores the feeling of being an outsider, being caught between two different cultures, and also learning to love someone who can be both kind and severe.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (12+)

“Stories are important,” the monster said. “They can be more important than anything. If they carry the truth.”

This illustrated story follows 13-year-old Conor as his mom battles cancer. One night, Conor wakes up and finds an ancient force/monster outside his window. The monster tells Conor three stories, but at the end Conor must reveal his own terrifying truth about a recurring dream that haunts him.

This book is so well crafted. Conor’s isolation, pain, and anger are so visceral and your heart breaks for him. And the monster is an excellent character that combines menace, wisdom, and care (and the stories he shares are wonderful dark mini-fairy tales). The balance between raw emotion, imagination, and insight makes this a great story about coping and grief.

Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge (12–17)

I suppose all moms have an idea who they hope their daughters will be. Like a connect-the-dots picture where you think you know what shape it will become. But then it’s the daughter who draws the lines, and she might connect the dots you didn’t intend, making a whole different picture. So I’ve gotta trust the dots she’s given me, and she’s gotta trust me to draw the picture myself.

This is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel that follows teenage Paige when she moves to New York City with her parents from Virginia. Paige is painfully shy and finds herself feeling isolated and lost in the big city, and she retreats into her mind and sketchbook for refuge (even though both are difficult places at times). Some of the metaphorical drawings convey Paige’s introversion and insecurity perfectly and you can understand exactly how she is feeling. Overall, the story is about actively changing your life in small ways so you can find your people and your place.